Finn's heart was beating like an artillery gun in the midst of a battle.

Emily was standing before him. Saying the things he desperately wanted to hear but had given up hope of ever receiving.

When she didn't call the night of the party, he told himself it would be okay. He lay awake, unable to sleep, watching night turn to day, jumping at the slightest sound. Waiting for her. Sure she would reach out.

Then he counted the minutes until she might be in the office. Calculating the odds of her getting coffee first, guessing how long it might take to chat with the receptionist. Was Lance holding her up? The dial on his wristwatch slipped past 10 am and he began to wonder if Emily had not gone into the office at all.

It was then the first doubt leaked into his heart. Maybe she was at work. Maybe she had read the letter. Maybe he was too late.

Finn spent the day waiting for his phone to ring, swinging between hope and despair. It remained silent.

By the time Max pulled him to the mess hall for dinner, despair was winning the battle. Depression engulfed him as the stars popped out one by one in the darkened sky. Emily's silence was all the confirmation he needed. His offer was not enough.

Once again, Finn was wrong.

Emily was standing before him. Grey eyes leaving him nowhere to hide.

His mind couldn't quite follow her words. At first, he assumed she was here for work. Needing something more for the case.

It hurt too much to look at her. A special kind of torture to have her standing there knowing she knew his heart and had tossed it aside.

The paper in her hand caught his attention. Focusing on it he tried to grasp her meaning as she explained about a mix-up, only seeing his letter today. Then she took his hand and told him the thing he wanted to hear.

Emily loved him. 

Words he was convinced he was never going to hear again.

It was like a dream. But he could feel her rapidly beating heart thumping against his hand as she held it there. His thumb pressed against the skin exposed by the low collar of her shirt. Warm and soft. Real. Chest rising and falling beneath his touch.

A light whiff of lavender tickled his nose. She was inches away. It would take the slightest movement, a mere dip of his head to close the gap between them.

Finn dipped.

As he gently pressed against her delicate lips, Finn was reunited with Emily's sweet taste. Not in a stolen moment or in his imagination. A purposeful promise of what was, what is and most of all what will be.

This was no dream. She tugged on his shirt to pull him closer. It was better than a dream. Emily was here. Really here. 

Everything around him faded away, as every fiber of his body recalibrated to the feel of Emily. Heat igniting where she crushed against him, her frame relaxing as she fit back to where she should always be, where she was meant to be. Here with him. 

She opened up, letting him in. Doubt, fear and all the other sharp knives that cut at him all week dulled, vanquished by her touch. He let down his guard, accepting everything she offered. Once again and for the first time in forever, Finn felt love. 

His free hand reached for her waist, finding familiar tracks to follow as it travelled around landing on the small of her back. As he hugged her closer to him, Finn silently vowed never to let her go.

Fate had different plans.

An "ahem" came from behind him. 

Finn ignored it.

"Captain. Times up," growled the sergeant.

Emily broke contact first, her lips pulling away. Reluctantly he let them leave. She tucked her forehead into the center of his chest, little puffs of air beating against it.

"Wheels up in five," continued the sergeant.

Through the fog of everything Emily invading his brain and body, Finn swam against the tide. Finding his voice, he managed to eke out a "Right".

What was he going to do? How could he possibly leave? How could he not?

He had volunteered for this assignment. A team of soldiers depended on him. There was a mission to complete. The adrenaline of being back in action after months of calm civilization had begun to flow through his veins. He liked the sensation.

Of course, at that time, he had wanted nothing more than to be away from this place. To flee from from the rejection of his feelings once again. But now... Emily was here. He hadn't been refused. Quite the opposite.

How could he leave her? Everything he ever wanted was here in his arms.

As he struggled between these two opposing emotions, he heard her ask what the mission was.

Finn felt a shiver go through her body when he replied, "its classified." It seemed she knew enough about the military to comprehend classified meant dangerous. Would she understand this is who he was and it was something he had to do? Or was she going to beg him not to go? A part of him wanted her to request he stay.

He felt a tinge of regret when she asked, "Can you tell me where?"

"The plane is going to South America." It was all he could tell her. Upon hearing the location, she gently pushed herself out of his arms, emitting a small sigh. Emily kept her hand over his heart as if refusing to break contact.

"Something off the books?" she clarified, looking up at him. Finn nodded.

Emily set her jaw. He'd seen her do it before when she made up her mind, was determined. 

"Right then, let's do this." She traced her hand across his chest and then shoulders. It came to rest on the back of his arm as she walked them towards where the sergeant was waiting.

Let's? Finn pondered. As in both of them?

"Sergeant Forester is it?" He tried to strategize as she addressed the officer. "As I've explained, Captain Wainwright is a key witness in my current case. He has pertinent information I still need. But, as you keep reminding me, he has orders to leave the country immediately. So, I must get on that plane."

Finn opened his mouth to protest. Emily could not come with him. Could she? The love of his life squeezed his arm and his words fell silent. Emily on the plane sounded insane. 

Suddenly he wanted nothing more. It meant more time with her. The officer looked to Finn for a response but Emily continued, demanding his attention and channelling her father's "I am entitled to do this and you can't stop me attitude."

"Sir, it's very important. It seems the captain's mission there might be quite dangerous and may make him unavailable in the future." Her voice wavered a bit on the word unavailable. "I need to be with him now."

"This is highly unregular, Ma'am-," started the sergeant.

"I understand," interrupted Emily, "but we don't have time to debate this. The country needs this mission to move forward and I will be on that plane. Now here's the contact information for my office." She passed him a business card. "Speak to Roger, he will ensure all the proper paperwork is completed including providing me with a passport by the time we land."

She turned towards Finn. "Shall we go?"

Finn stole a glance at the sergeant. The man was opening and closing his mouth like a guppy out of water, apparently at a loss for words. Biting on his lower lip to suppress a grin, he allowed himself to be led out of the hanger towards the waiting plane.

When they were out of sight of the sergeant, Finn slipped his arm around Emily's waist. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm sure I want to be with you."

Ignoring the small voice of his conscious protesting this course of action, Finn guided her up the ramp into the plane. He tingled with the excitement of being able to introduce her to his team. One by one each stopped what they were doing to turn and regard at the couple. Campbell's eyes widened upon recognizing Emily. He hurried forth and wrapped her in a hug.

"Emily, a pleasure to see you. But what are you doing here?" he questioned, eyes swivelling between her and his friend.

Finn spoke loudly so all of the crew could hear. "Everyone, this is Emily Montgomery. She's going to be joining us for this flight."

"Sudden desire to sightsee at Machu Picchu?" piped up Dawson.

Finn saw Emily smile shyly as she bowed her head at the comment.

"Something like that. She's my special guest on this trip and I expect you all to be on your best behaviour." He looked determinedly around the airplane cargo bay to make his point. "Now, let's all get strapped in and get this show on the road."

As the crew made their final preparations, Finn guided Emily to the jump seats and helped her get into her seatbelt. As he snapped each buckle together, the reality of what they were doing began sinking in. He had only been thinking about the moment at hand, the opportunity to spend time with Emily. Now he knew how she felt about him, he didn't want her to leave his sight.

But Dawson's comment about sightseeing was sinking in. He was about to take the most precious thing in life to him into a country in the midst of upheaval. Sure, they were going to land in a secure military base. She would be safe there. But safe was a relative word. The base was under the constant pressure of potential attack from nationalists who did not appreciate an American presence.

The logical side of him argued he shouldn't put her in harm's way, just for a few precious hours together.

It lost to his heart, who wanted these final few hours with Emily. In case they might be his last.

Hey. D. L. Croisette here.  So? Emily and Finn are finally together... for the moment.  

Tell me honestly, did you think they were going to be torn apart yet again by the sergeant?